California deputy hits, kills woman in Highway 180 collision, CHP says

A pedestrian on Highway 180 was hit and killed by a Fresno County Sheriff’s Office vehicle driven by a deputy near Kerman on Thursday morning.

The deputy was on duty in a marked patrol truck when the unidentified woman was struck around 5:20 a.m., the CHP said.

According to the CHP, the woman crossed the highway near Siskiyou Avenue, outside of a crosswalk and in the eastbound lane, directly in the path of the deputy. Because it was dark, and because the woman was small and wearing dark clothes, the deputy did not see her and was unable to stop, the CHP said.

Following the collision, the deputy stopped, reported the crash and began lifesaving measures.

The woman, described as being in her 60s, died at the scene, the CHP said.

The crash happened within Kerman city limits, but the CHP is conducting the investigation at the request of the Kerman Police Department.

The Sheriff’s Office and the deputy were cooperating with the investigation, the CHP said.

The deputy was not identified by the CHP.

Traffic along Highway 180 was stopped for several hours Thursday morning.